I have tried dozens of times to make a Mariner's Compass Star by both paper piecing and templates and I can not for the life of me get the thing to lie down in the center. I have the same problem with the Lone Stars. Does anyone have any tricks that will help me out with this. Both patterns are my favorites and I am dying to make quilts of both patterns but it defies me.

With the lone stars, you need to kinda fan out the center where the seam allowances meet by carefully clipping the threads between the seam allowances and making sort of a spiral by hand. With the mariner's compass, I've never done one, but have one on my short list , and the way I've found to do it is to do the points in sections (paper pieced) and then hand applique a circle in the middle once all the pieces are joined. I hope that makes sense.

Probably there's someone else here with more experience that can describe it better.

Hi, Linda! I've not done one of these, yet, but I have heard that pressing some of the seams open helps - I know it did when I had lots of HSTs meeting. The current Fons and Porter Love of Quilting series being shown on PBS has a two part series coming up on Mariner's compass (up here in Alberta, I get PBS out of Spokane, WA)
http://www.fonsandporter.com/aspx/FonsandPorter/fp/ourt...esdetail.aspx?id=159

http://www.fonsandporter.com/aspx/FonsandPorter/fp/ourtvshows/showtimes.aspx
http://www.google.com/custom?domains=fonsandporter.com%...1%3B&sa.x=15&sa.y=13

Here's a question posed on another forum and a suggestion
http://www.sewgirls.com/quilting/What-would-you-do-abou...ky-block-102959-.htm
See if your library has or can bring in from another library, or a quilt shop, this book
http://bookcomplex.com/0967789419.html

Apparently there is a specific order to piece the sections together, but I've only seen references to that in class offerings by various quilt shops - no specifics. I'll keep looking. Hopefully someone out there will know more. Later!
Gerda

Check out this tutorial! Try with more scrap fabric first. It just might do the trick! I'm saving this one! http://dquilts.blogspot.com/2007/04/how-i-freezer-paper-piece.html

gerda

Another book http://www.quiltcentraltv.com/images/products/ct-10406.jpg

http://www.quiltsmart.com/ They have the Mariner's compass interfacing - worth thinking about, but the regular way is good, though more challenging.

Hope I've been of some help!

Gerda

Once again, Gerda is a wealth of information and links...

I have one mariner's compass block done... LOL had plans for an entire quilt, but never got past the first block...LOL the method I used was paper pieced, and then the circle was appliqued over the center to finish it.